


Children's Matinee

by HBossWrites



Series: For The Love of Haunted Houses [2]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Gen, Halloween, Haunted Houses, Kids in Costumes, M/M, Relationship Negotiation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-27 02:35:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12571832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HBossWrites/pseuds/HBossWrites
Summary: North thought the haunted houses would be a thing of the past until York brought up taking the boys to one. So, they took the boys to the Spookhouse and it was a disaster…until it wasn’t. Thanks to the man in the Captain America uniform, David, who spoke to his kids on their level and walked them through the haunt and made sure that both boys felt safe before he moved to the next room. North kind of understood the appeal of taking the kids to the haunt after that.Or York has ideas, North is willing to entertain them, Delta is brave, and Theta wants to be on Captain America's team.





	Children's Matinee

North had always been rather ambivalent about Halloween. He’d never had much of a sweet tooth as a child, he wasn’t big on dressing up in costumes, and he watched scary movies all year round with South, so there was nothing that really made Halloween something special or worth doing.

Then he’d ended up roped into working a professional haunt with his sister and managed to fall in love with one of the biggest fans of Halloween, horror, and haunted houses North had ever met up to that point. The man thought it would be romantic to propose in a haunted restaurant that North himself had dressed as part of his job, for pity’s sake.

To be fair, York did actually put some effort into the proposal. He served a candlelit dinner in the creepy restaurant and got on one knee and everything. He was even out of costume and makeup when he did that, so North couldn’t be mad and think the proposal was an afterthought.

Still, they hadn’t touched a been to a haunt in years. North thought the haunted houses would be a thing of the past until York brought up taking the boys to one. North didn’t have the heart to express his lack of enthusiasm when his husband was as giddy as their sons after Santa left them presents.

So, they took the boys to the Spookhouse and it was a disaster…until it wasn’t. Thanks to the man in the Captain America uniform, David, who spoke to his kids on their level and walked them through the haunt and made sure that both boys felt safe before he moved to the next room. It was amazing to see Theta’s expression turn from terrified to gleeful in just a few seconds.

North kind of understood the appeal of taking the kids to the haunt after that.

Neither York or North knew exactly what had happened to Theta before he was theirs, but it was devastating to see their little boy so upset.

Which made the younger man who dressed as Captain America and walked through the maze with them so meaningful. He didn’t let either child get too worked up, just walked them into the space and showed them how _not_ scary a haunted house could be.

When they got home Theta demanded they watch The Avengers, not his usual choice of movie, but not unexpected given the events of the day. Delta sat with his little brother just as enthralled with the movie they had watched at least twenty times.

They tucked the boys into bed once the movie was done, both exhausted and ready for the end of the day. Once the boys were asleep, York pulled North into the kitchen with an expression that the blond found…difficult to interpret.

“So…”

North raised an eyebrow.

“So?”

York leaned against the kitchen counter with an over exaggerated grin that North knew meant he was nervous. North just waited until York cracked and spoke.

“That David guy was really good with the boys.”

Ah, so _that’s_ what this was about.

“He sure was, better watch out or I might leave you for him. He looks like father material.”

York grinned and nudged North with his foot.

“You wouldn’t do that to me. I know all your secrets.”

North leaned forward and pressed a kiss to York’s forehead. He wasn’t sure where the nerves had come from, York was normally the one more confident in their relationship, but he wanted to nip those nerves in the bud before they bloomed into a plant filled with jealousy and discontent.

They did not need an Audrey 2 blooming in their relationship and eating people.

“I wouldn’t.”

York pulled North in for a quick kiss and nipped at his ear.

“He was cute though, wasn’t he?”

“He was. York, what’s this about? Are you asking if you can date him?”

York’s eyes went wide before he pulled back with a frown.

“I don’t think so. I don’t want a relationship that you’re not a part of. It’s why that thing with Carolina didn’t work out, and I’m not comfortable excluding you.”

North took York’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

York had dated Carolina from high school all the way into his and North’s marriage, she’d been York’s Best Woman at the wedding, and she was Auntie ‘Lina to their sons. North had never hated Carolina, but there were plenty of times he’d disliked her, and she him. That was life.

But York had taken their inability to be romantically compatible personally and it tore him apart. Never mind the fact that North was incredibly gay or that Carolina didn’t want the responsibility of a full time partner, York still counted it as a personal failure that they didn’t function as a unit.

“I understand the appeal. He’s cute, he’s good with the boys at least for short periods of time.”

“And he totally checked us both out.”

North rolled his eyes.

“You’re delusional.”

“And you’re a pessimist.”

North gave York’s hand another squeeze and pulled the man in close.

“Tell you what, we’ll see about going back for the children’s show tomorrow, and you can ask him all your questions.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

__________________________

York settled the boys around the kitchen table as North plated what they all knew would be barely edible scrambled eggs. They would disguise the rubbery texture with hot sauce or ketchup and everything would be ok, but it was still a sticking point for North that he couldn’t seem to make a passable breakfast that included any kind of heat.

“So boys, did you want to go back to the Spookhouse and walk through?”

Delta’s face lit up with an eager smile, his tiny fists wrapped around his silverware and thumped the kitchen table eagerly.

“Yes, please!”

North gave York a look that clearly said he needed to be more clear about what was happening as he put the boys breakfast down on the table and turned back to grab a stack of buttered toast he’d already made.

“It’ll be different today, there will be people inside this time.”

Theta’s face scrunched and he shivered, clearly displeased with the thought that the scary place would be even more scary this time.

“Monsters?”

North smiled gently and ran a hand through Theta’s hair, before putting toast on the little boy’s plate.

“Fake monsters, T. Remember what David said, no one in the haunted house wants to hurt you.”

Theta shook his head vigorously and shoved the toast into his mouth. He looked like a hamster saving food for later, and North couldn’t help but poke him on his overfilled cheek.

York sighed softly, but managed a smile that was only slightly disappointed.

“It’s ok if Theta doesn’t want to go. Why don’t I take Delta and we’ll do it.”

Delta looked down at his plate with a frown.

“I don’t want to if Theta doesn’t.”

Theta glared furiously at York, picked up his glass of milk, and tried to drink it. This was not easy, since the boy’s cheeks were still completely stuffed with toast but he managed a few indignant gulps.

“Theta,” North chuckled, “Chew and swallow, Bud.”

He set the glass down, chewed in an over exaggerated fashion that reminded North very much of his sister when she was in a snit, and huffed angrily.

“I’m go! I’m go, and see Cap’m ‘Mer’ca and Spider-Man.”

“Spider-Gwen, kiddo.”

Theta huffed and rolled his eyes. York gave North a knowing smirk and North tried not to sigh. Their son had managed to mimic North’s eyeroll down to the tick of his head as he did it. North couldn’t even be mad, it was too adorable.

The morning passed in relative peace, but when it came time to get the boys in costumes again, only Delta was enthusiastic about his costume.

“NO!”

Theta shoved York’s hand that held the Ninja Turtle costume away, his face was flushed and his expression livid.

“Theta, Buddy, what’s the matter? You don’t want to dress up again?”

“No turtle! Iron Man! I want Iron Man!”

North pulled Delta to the side.

“Since when does Theta like Iron Man so much?”

Delta crossed his arms and huffed, the way he always did when he thought someone was asking him a question they already knew the answer to.

“If he’s dressed like Iron Man he gets to be on Captain America’s team.”

North looked back over to York and Theta, where it looked like both of them were about to throw temper tantrums.

“Ok, we’re going to the store to get Theta an Iron Man costume.”

“We are?” York asked.

“WE ARE?!” Theta screeched.

“Well, he can’t very well be on Captain America’s team if he’s a ninja turtle, can he?”

_________________

North pulled into the parking lot feeling a good bit more at ease than he had the day before. There were people outside in the parking lot to lure people in, but they were all in much more kid friendly costumes. Mostly there were superheroes, but there was a woman wearing a yellow unicorn onesie, and a man wearing Jedi robes outside waving at the children.

There was a good crowd outside, and North and York both lifted the boys onto their shoulders so they wouldn’t get lost in the gaggle of adults and little ones. North was relived that the majority of the children were wearing costumes. He liked that his boys were eager to dress up, but he also worried that they would be the only ones and they might get embarrassed and not want to anymore.

They stood in line for their tickets and watched the children leaving the haunted house. Some were upset, but most of them had delighted smiles on their faces. None of them looked terrified, which was a point to the kid friendly part of the haunt.

York purchased their tickets while North took a look around for David, but didn’t spot the man. North wasn’t sure if they wore the same costumes or different ones, he hadn’t really bothered to pay attention to any of the other adults at the haunt.

There was a man at the candy bowl near the exit dressed as a character from Halo without the helmet, with the boy from the day before, Junior, who was wearing the Spider-Gwen costume again. North assumed that since the man was passing out candy, he probably worked the haunt and headed over.

Delta and Theta demanded to be put down and rushed over to crowd around Junior who tapped his throat and shook his head, but grinned and bounced with them.

 “Hello! The enter is over that way!”

“Oh, we know, we came through yesterday. I was just wondering if David was around?”

The large man tilted his head and looked around the room for a moment.

“I do not know anyone named David. Is that one of the children in line? Because I do not know their names. They are just here to walk through the spooky house.”

Junior slapped a hand to his forehead but didn’t say anything, so North frowned and tried to reword the statement.

“He was dressed as Captain America yesterday. He said he was a security guard.”

The man’s face lit up.

“OH! You mean Agent Washington! AGENT WASHINGTON! YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE TO SEE YOU!”

A blond head peeked out from behind a black curtain. He spotted the group and waved with a large smile, as he made his way over.

“Hi there.”

North knew he must look completely mortified since York couldn’t hide a snicker at North’s face. He elbowed his immature husband in the ribs and tried to smile normally.

“Hi. I am so sorry about that, I was just curious to see if you were around. The boys ended up having a great time thanks to you.”

David’s face turned bright red and he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. If he scuffed a foot along the ground, he would look like a grown up version of Theta…and wasn’t that a thought North didn’t want to be having about a man he met less than twenty-four hours before.

Maybe York was onto something after all.

“It’s fine. Caboose was just being helpful, we get a lot of requests for certain people. I take it the boys are ready to try again?”

York grinned and waved a hand at the boys who had begun to climb on the older boy. Junior was laughing, so North didn’t interfere.

“If we can pry them away from Junior. I’ve never seen either of them react to someone this way.”

“He’s a good kid. Junior’s a natural with the scared ones, but I think he really does like your boys, which is awesome.”

“Well, Delta and Theta could always use more friends.”

David’s smile softened and he nodded.

“Junior could too. He’s…got this speech impediment that makes it hard for him to hang out with older kids.”

Junior noticed David and pointed to him. Delta and Theta gave matching happy shouts and charged over.

“Well hey there, it’s Wonder Woman and Iron Man!”

Theta curled in a little, like he was expecting a blow, before he surged forward and latched onto David’s leg.

North hated the flinch reaction Theta had, but there was nothing to be done for it other than offering him safety and showing patience. Eventually it would fade, but until that day, North and York would have to watch and feel helpless.

“Cap’n Amer’ca!”

David put a gentle hand on Theta’s head, like he was going to ruffle the boy’s hair, but instead just left it there.

“How are you today? I was wondering if I was going to get to see you again.”

Delta grabbed David’s free hand and suddenly North wondered if David was ok being grabbed by the children of strangers.

“We want to walk again.”

A brilliant smile lit up David’s face. He squatted down to get on Delta and Theta’s level and grinned eagerly at them.

“I am so glad you’re feeling brave enough to try. Are you going to make your dads go too? They will probably need some super heroes by their side to feel safe.”

The boys both beamed.

“Hey, it’s about time for Junior to take a break from handing out candy, do you want him to walk with you?”

Theta’s lip fell into a pout.

“You comin?”

David smiled but cocked his head to the side.

“Do you need me to? With Wonder Woman, Iron Man, and Spider-Gwen, I think you can protect your dads pretty well.”

“But…”

David leaned a little forward and tapped Theta’s nose once.

“Hey, if you really need me to, I’ll come, but I think Junior would love the chance to hang out with you, and once you guys come out, I’ll be on break and able to hang out for a little while. How does that sound?”

Theta looked like he was about to protest, but York swept him up in his arms.

“That sounds great. We’ll grab Junior and hop into the line.”

The haunt wasn’t much different from the day before. The booths had been cleared of the extra spooky props and gore. The lights were still on, but there was music playing over the speakers this time around. Theta and Delta clutched their dads, but couldn’t be too upset when The Monster Mash played overhead.

There were children in the booths wearing costumes and makeup, but none of it was what North would have called good or scary, and most of them didn’t match the rooms they were in, but Delta and Theta both reacted every time there was a kid where there hadn’t been one the day before.

A child in the Freddy vs Jason room decided he wanted to try and scare the group by jumping out from behind the boxes the scare actors would hide behind and nearly got decked by Delta while Theta screamed. Junior jumped in between them and growled at the little boy in the booth. He looked at the floor, as Junior pointed very fiercely and grunted.

“No.”

The child went back behind the boxes to wait, and Junior pulled the group along to the next room, expression unhappy and with him between the group and the actors at all times.

By the end of the maze Theta was in York’s arms and Delta had sandwiched himself between his parents, but neither boy cried or demanded to get out, which was leaps and bounds better than where they had been the day before. When Junior pulled the exit tarp away, they could see David on the other side with a bright grin on his face.

“Hey, you made it through!”

Junior pointed into the maze and his hands flew for a few seconds before he said what sounded like ‘O’Malley’. David frowned and shook his head.

“Go get your dad and tell him to have a word with Frankie, ok? He knows better than to try and do jump scares.”

Junior ran off to the back and David’s face lit up again when Delta got close.

“Hey, how was it this time? Did you like it?”

“I was not very brave.”

“What makes you say that? You went through the spookhouse, that’s brave.”

Delta crossed his arms and stared at the floor with a defeated expression.

“One jumped out and scared me.”

David frowned and looked at Delta very hard for a moment before he smiled and nodded his head.

“I see what’s going on here. Delta, you were very brave today, do you know why? You went in, knowing it was scary, you walked through, and made it all the way out. Being afraid doesn’t mean you’re not brave. Being brave means that you know things can be scary, but you do them anyway.”

And just like that, North’s heart melted into a puddle of goo. He shared a look with York that clearly conveyed ‘go ahead’, and took Theta from him. York knelt down next to Delta and put a hand on his shoulder.

“David’s right. You two were great in there. You were very brave Delta.”

Theta pulled away from North enough to wave an arm for attention.

“And me?”

North grinned and poked Theta’s stomach gently. The little boy giggled and leaned forward to try and protect his tummy, and North cherished the smile.

“And you T. You were both brave going through there.”

Both boys looked very pleased.

“So,” York grinned and leaned into David’s space, “since we’re all about being brave today I have to ask-“

A loud crash sounded inside the maze and several people shouted in surprise.

“TUCKER DID IT!!!”

“DUDE, YOU CANNOT BLAME ME FOR THIS ONE! I’M OUTSIDE!

David sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“There are words I want to say that I’m not saying because there are children around, but I am thinking them very loudly.”

David leapt up and dashed into the maze.

York and North blinked at each other in confusion. When the man didn’t come out of the maze for a while, North decided it was probably a good idea to just leave.

“Alright, I think it’s time to go.”

Delta, Theta, and York all made disappointed children noises, and North rolled his eyes aggressively.

“Come on, you three, we’re just in the way at this point. Let’s go home. There’s still Halloween yet.”

They shuffled of to head towards the cars with varying levels of disappointment. North knew that the boys were sad about not getting to spend more time with Junior and David, and York, well, North knew why he was disappointed too.

They got the boys buckled in when the Jedi from earlier charged out of the building and sprinted over to them. He reached the car and doubled over panting heavily.

“Man…I…am so…tired of…running…”

York raised a confused eyebrow.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, man, sorry. Wash has us running up and down like crazy and my legs are killing me! I’ve got glorious calves and a miserable Halloween.”

He managed to force himself into an upright position and shoved his braids off of his shoulders.

“I’m Junior’s dad. You guys left before he could say goodbye and he was worried he’d made you mad.”

York waved his hands in front of himself in the universal ‘no, no’ signal.

“No! No! Junior’s great, we just heard all the crashing and figured we would just be in the way.”

“Awesome! Hey, do you mind if he comes out to say goodbye? He’s not so good with making friends, but he really likes your kids.”

“Sure, he can come out! He was really great at playing protector for Delta and Theta.”

North held out his hand. Tucker slapped his own into North’s and shook it vigorously.

“I’m North, and this is my husband York.”

“Nice ta meetcha, I’m Tucker.”

“Great, now that we’re not strangers, how would you feel about a playdate for the kids.”

Tucker’s face froze.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. Our kids seem to genuinely like each other, and I’m of the opinion they could always use more friends.”

His face lit up like a christmas tree and North almost felt bad at how happy Tucker was. Clearly, when David mentioned Junior had a hard time making friends, they hadn’t realized just how hard a time he had.

“Oh man, you don’t even know! You don’t even know! Junior’s gonna be so happy!”

They traded cell phone numbers and Junior came out to say goodbye. While he talked to the boys in the backseat, York pulled Tucker off to the side.

“Ok, so what’s the deal with David?”

Tucker blinked.

“Who?”

York sighed.

“Captain America?”

“Oh, you mean Wash! Duh! Sorry, I’m not used to people calling him by his first name. What do you wanna know?”

York gave Tucker his very best suave and flirty smile.

“Is he single?”

Tucker looked at York, then at North, then back to York.

“Asking for a friend?”

“Nah, asking for two hot dads who appreciate a guy who can talk to their kids.”

“Well then,” Tucker spoke softly, “As one hot dad to another, Wash is a good guy. He’s got a lot of friends out there who don’t want to see him hurt, and he doesn’t generally end up in good relationships. If you’re looking for a one time thing, I’d keep looking, because Wash is loyal and has a fuckton of staying power.”

York couldn’t keep his goofy grin off his face but North gave Tucker a serious nod.

“Understood.”

“Good. And…um…if he asks, I totally didn’t tell you that he’s got tomorrow off. And that he’s a big fan of thai food and frou-frou coffee drinks.”

North smiled as York’s face lit up.

“Hey, thanks man. We won’t say anything.”

“Cool.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So apparently this story needed multiple parts, because my brain is filled with useless thoughts. I think there will be two more pieces to this story and then I'm calling it done. 
> 
> If you made it to the end, thank you so much! It means a lot to know that there is someone out there who likes what I write enough to read to the end!
> 
> If you would like to leave a comment to let me know how I'm doing or toss a kudos my way to let me know I'm doing ok, I would greatly appreciate it.


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